The Dragon's Vengeance
by unseenmemory
Summary: A story of two brothers and how the ongoing war between the Imperial and Revolutionary armies shaped them. In the end, one must fall. Will Francois avenge his family, or will William ascend to the ranks of the Empire in his dream to restore their lost family honor? OC vs OC. Rated M for language and gore.
1. Kill the Family

_You, who bear great anger in your heart, will be my host._

_I will give you unlimited strength and power, but in return, I will consume your life essence at the end of your journey._

_There will be no good ending for you._

"_**I accept. Be my arms of vengeance, Gekidou no Ryujin."**_

The Rage of the Heavens: Gekidou no Ryujin, or also known as the Wrath of the Dragon God, is an ancient Imperial Arms that was created in secret. Even the Empire didn't know of its existence. It was created from the very blood of an Ultra-class Danger Beast that was labelled as the "God of Dragons". It lived in the very molten crater of the tallest volcano in the country. The beast was famous for its unearthly rampage that could easily destroy entire armies within a spilt second. Though it was one of the strongest beasts, a group of exiled soldiers from the Empire managed to defeat it. They quickly rushed the creation of this Teigu, since the opposing side of the civil war is in dire need of equipment. The Teigu's appearance is two red gauntlets that 4 levels of steel. At end of the levels, is a socket for a crystal orb that contained the essence of the beast. After the creation of this Teigu, it was quickly sealed away from civilization, as it drove its first host insane.

**Until one day.**

At the year of 988, the second son of the Augustus family was born.

His father, Augustus, Michael, named his fragile infant, Francois. Through the years, Francois remained sickly and weak. He was always in the care of his mother, Beatrice, and his older brother, William. His father was a well-known general in the Empire. Though he was slowed down by his old age, he destroyed any army that would oppose the Capital. He was feared by many, but was greatly loved by his family.

The brothers share similar appearance with each other. William, who was 6 years older than Francois, shared the same facial features that his younger brother has. Not to mention, they also inherited their father's black hair. Francois had a spiky style for his hair, while William had the more gallant look with his slicked back.

But alas, his father's reign was cut when he was ambushed by the Revolutionary Army, as he was tasked to capture some escaped slaves. Though General Augustus fought bravely till the end, the corrupt men of the Capital destroyed his image and labelled him as a traitor for his failure. At the age of 10, Francois lost his father. Their entire family was casted out from nobility. Grief-stricken, his mother's health slowly crumbled down. To fund the medicines of their sick mother, Francois and William applied for different jobs. Together, they managed to keep their mother alive.

5 years later, during a quiet afternoon, Francois and William were doing their jobs as messengers. Their client tasked them to bring news and letters to a nearby town. Though they left the Capital at noon, they were delayed in their task as they were ambushed by bandits. William valiantly defended his fragile younger brother. To Francois' surprise, his older brother effortlessly killed their ambushers. In that time, he could clearly see the hunger for power and blood in his brother's eyes.

The sun finally sets. As the young brothers enter the Capital's gates, a messenger caught their attention.

"You there! Are you the Augustus brothers?" The messenger asked the two as he ran towards them. "Yes, sir. Why do you ask?" William asked the messenger as he alights his horse. "I have grave news! Your mother is terribly ill! The doctor said that she will not make through the night!" The messenger shouted with great fear in his voice.

Francois and William were caught by surprise. "What did he say, brother?! I am sure that we have given mother her medicines before we left for our jobs!" Francois shouted with great despair in his voice. "Do not panic, Francois! Steadfast! Time is not in our side! We have to reach mother!" William shouted to his younger brother as he hurriedly mounts back on his horse. The brothers hastened towards their small home. Francois could feel the cold sweat dripping from his face as the fear of losing his mother smitten his feelings. The two finally reached their small home. As William hurriedly opens their front door, the words that came from the doctor's mouth filled them with despair.

"_**We did our best. I'm sorry, but she's gone."**_

After the nights of grief and sorrow, William finally snapped at his brother. "You know why this happened?! It's because they were weak! Father, and mother are both weak! That's why they died!" William shouted with great anger in his voice. "Brother! How could you?! Father did his best to provide us a good life!" Francois shouted back at his grief-stricken brother. "And what happened to him?! He died as a traitor! He was powerless!" William shouted back at his brother as he punches the concrete wall with all his might.

Francois was lost in words. He doesn't know how to calm his enraged brother. Now, it's just him and his older brother against the world. For all of his life, he was protected by his family. He didn't know how to stand for himself. He always depended on his brother to protect him against the bullies in their previous school. His frail body always kept him back. He's sick of it. He's sick of being weak and making someone to protect him. This time, he will stand beside his brother as they tackle the hardships of the world.

"_**Brother, let us join the military and reclaim our lost honor."**_

3 years later after joining the military, the Augustus brothers were slowly rising to the ranks of the Empire's army. At that time, Francois was under the command of high-ranking Imperial Officer Bulat, and William was under the leadership of General Liver. Under the guidance of the known officers, the Augustus brothers became the top dogs of the Empire. Slowly, Francois developed his frail body. Skirmish after skirmish, the Augustus brothers became a powerful tandem. Now, Francois' frailty is a thing in the past.

After one triumphant victory against the Revolutionary Army, Francois decided to visit one of the local taverns in the high-class district. After a few mugs of alcohol, one of the barmaids approached him.

"By chance, are you Captain Francois of Sir Bulat's guards?" The young brunette asked Francois, who was busy enjoying his liquor. "Hm? Why, yes. What can I help you with, little lady?" Francois replied as he chugs down another mug of beer. "Little? You're pretty boastful of your height, aren't you? Seriously, you imperial men are all the same." The barmaid angrily stated as she hands him another mug of beer. The Augustus brothers were gifted with great height. Francois stood 6 feet tall, while his brother stood 6 feet and 5 inches tall. Francois suddenly noticed the young barmaid's body. Though she is small, she is blessed with a motherly figure. Francois couldn't help but to stare at the young brunette's body.

"What are you looking at?! Keep your eyes to yourself!" The barmaid embarrassingly shouted as she slaps Francois face. Shaken by the barmaid's slap, Francois slowly became sober. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help but to admire your, blessed body." Francois quickly apologized for his sudden action. "Oh? You have manners? Now that's new!" The barmaid stated as she sat beside Francois. "I was a noble a few years back, but we were exiled as they branded my father as a traitor." He stated as he chugs down another mug of beer. "Oh! You're one of the sons of General Michael?" She asked him once again as she looks deeply on Francois' battle stricken face. She can't help but to admire the scar on Francois' lip.

The two exchanged some petty banter. Time slowly passed, and the two grew fond of each other. Soon, it was time for the tavern to close. As Francois paid for his liquor, the young brunette approached him. "It's a pity that you have to leave. I love talking to you." The barmaid stated as gives the slightly tipsy captain a warm smile. "I love talking to you too. I promise I'll come back. Wait. Before I leave, may I know your name?" Francois gallantly asked the young brunette as he adjusts his shoulder cape. "Riza. It's Riza." The barmaid said as she introduces herself. "Alright, Riza. Save me a mug of beer when I get back." Francois stated as he leaves the tavern.

Time slowly passed after that fated meeting. Battle after battle, victory after victory, Francois kept on going back to that tavern. Soon, it was a matter of time that the two fall in love with each other. Though her job was a barmaid in that tavern, Riza was a pure maiden. From the start, she had her eyes on Bulat's second-in-command. Even though Riza was a bit hard to handle due to her occasional mood swings, Francois can't help but to love Riza's understanding and kind heart.

Two months after a steamy evening in the captain's quarters, Riza proclaimed that she was pregnant with Francois' child. To Francois, it was the best news he could have heard, but to William, it was something that will destroy his brother's focus. Lately in their battles, Francois became soft, and hesitant. Before he met his lady, he was one of the most brutal soldiers who ever walked the battlefield. The Augustus brothers were a force that will cut any unit down on their own.

Soon, Francois proclaimed that he will marry Riza at the tender age of 19. William, who was 25 at that time, was against it. "Come now, brother. This will keep me motivated to serve the Empire! I have something to fight for!" Francois stated as he tries to convince his hard-headed brother, who was sitting in front of his desk. "Francois. I will not allow that woman to shake your resolve. Don't you remember why we enlisted in the army? It's to get the power that we need. To get back what was taken from us!" William shouted at Francois as he slams his palm on top of his table.

"I haven't forgotten about that, brother! As a proud member of our clan, I have to be responsible of what I have done to Riza! Please, brother! Are you not excited? You'll be an uncle soon!" Francois stated as he tries to calm his disappointed brother. Defeated by his younger brother's will to marry his lover, William gives out a weary sigh. "Heed my words, Francois. That woman will bring you harm. If you must experience it at first-hand, so be it. You're naïve heart will be the end of you." William stated as he orders Francois out of his office.

5 months before her due, Riza was happily married to Francois. The young captain took a leave from his duty as he readies himself to be a father. The young married couple moved into the abandoned Augustus Villa. With a few weeks of cleaning, they managed to restore the Villa into its former glory. Francois couldn't help but to notice a locked room in the basement. Curious as he is, he couldn't open the metal door with his might. Fazed by his unrewarded effort, he then decided to simply ignore the existence of the room.

Though the Augustus tandem was missed by the army, the soldiers held its ground and the Empire remained vigilant.

At the 3rd week of spring, Francois' and Riza's daughter was born. She inherited her mother's look, and sadly, her father's early frailty. The loving couple named their daughter, Eliza. Day after day, week after week, month after month, and soon, year after year, Francois was held back from rejoining the ranks of the army by his family. At the time that little Eliza turned 4 years old; the Revolutionary Army gained the upper hand against the Empire. The Empire, in the essence of William, who grew tired of his brother's play, forced Francois back to the fray.

"Brother, do I really need to go back? I can't leave Riza and little Eliza alone." Francois stated as he pours his older brother some tea. "Have you heard the news?" William asked his brother as sips the earl-grey tea from his cup. "What news? It's been a long time since I heard an update about the Empire. What of Captain Bulat and General Liver? Are they doing well?" Francois asked his brother as he sits in front of him. The atmosphere between two suddenly became dark and dreadful.

"_**General Liver was branded as a traitor and was sentenced to death. Bulat left the Empire to join our enemies, the Revolutionary Army. General Najenda also left for the same purpose."**_

The sudden news shook Francois. "Why?! I don't see the reason why they should left the Empire! They were given everything!" The shaken young father shouted as he slams his palm on top of the table. Surprised by his father's outburst, little Eliza peeked at the discussion of the two brothers. After seeing his shaken daughter, Francois slowly realized the reason why his close friends left the army. He knew his brother will be against it, but slowly, his loyalty for the Empire vanished.

Soon, the Empire fought back against their rival. Their armies were led by General Esdeath, who quickly replaced Najenda's vacant position, and the Augustus brothers, who were promoted thanks to their years of hard work serving the Empire. Battle after battle, William slowly noticed how rusty his younger brother was. At first he ignored it, but soon, he couldn't stop himself to try convincing his younger brother to fight like before. He fears that the Empire, who was really dire at that time, would see Francois as a weakness. Thanks to all the information that Francois knows, the Empire's only option is to relieve him command and kill him.

At year of 1013, Francois received a letter from his former captain. He made sure that no one, except for little Eliza, who turned 5 at that year, and his wife, will read the letter. In that letter, Bulat wrote down every single act of corruption that he saw during his time of servitude. He also stated that the Empire itself betrayed General Liver for their profit. Bulat ended his letter with a warning.

_**Soon, it will be your turn. Please. Do not hesitate to change sides. The Revolutionary Army will welcome you with open arms.**_

After reading Bulat's letter, Francois was determined to leave the army. At first, he thought about running away with his family, but he suddenly remembered how powerful the Augustus brothers are. If he can convince his brother to join his escape, the tides of the battle will turn and the corruption within the capital can be stopped.

Little did he know that his slight hesitation will be his own downfall.

During one stormy night, a sudden nightmare happened.

Francois, who was tasked by the Empire to scout the nearby woods outside of the capital, just arrived at his home. He quickly noticed that the lights were off and maids were nowhere to be found. As he enters the main hall, the sudden scene shocked him to his very core. The walls at the grand staircase were painted red with the blood of their maids. They were brutally killed as their bodies was left mangled and their limbs, scattered throughout the hall. A great fear swallowed Francois' heart. He quickly ran through the halls in search of his wife and daughter.

As he reached the family hall, which was a few meters from their room, he quickly noticed the trail of blood that leads down to the basement. Fear and anxiety slowly clouded his thoughts. The roar of the thunder shakes his courage to go down in the basement. What will he find there? Is he ready to see the worse possible scenario? He slowly descended down through the dark. The stone stairs were covered in blood. He can't help but to feel sticky and uneasy as the blood sticks into his boot.

The basement was dark and humid. Francois could hardly see a thing. "Riza! Eliza! Where are you?!" He shouted in dark as he tries to call out for his family. Alas, the only sound that replied from his calls was the roar of the thunder, which was faintly heard upstairs. As the shaking man traverse through the darkness, a sudden black hole in the wall surprised him. It was the metal door from before. Back then, it was closed shut and he couldn't open it with his might, but now, the door was left wide open. Francois felt a sudden chill in his spine as the scent of blood grew thicker.

"_**William. Why?"**_

Francois was not prepared for the next thing that he saw. In the middle of the candle-lit room, was his older brother, who was standing on top of two corpses. He quickly recognized the two bodies that were brutally murdered. One, was the woman that he greatly loves, and the other, is very own daughter. His whole strength was sapped out of his very bones. He felt like he was having a nightmare, but alas, this is reality.

His own older brother killed his family.

"William! Why?! Why did you killed them?!" Francois shouted with great anger in his voice. He could feel it. His whole body was boiling in rage. "Francois? You're finally here, little brother. Look. I saved you." William replied as he points at the bodies of Francois deceased family. "You saved me?! What the hell are you talking about?!" Francois shouted at his brother as he charges in and grabs William by his collar. "The Empire was about to assassinate you! They gave me a preposition! If I could help you get back to your former glory, they will reward us with our own imperial arms! We will be unstoppable!" William shouted back at his brother as he tries to break off from Francois' grip. "Fool! We cannot trust the Empire! It is too damned corrupt! They will only use us! In the end, they only look out for themselves!" Francois retorted back to his brother as his tears flows freely from his eyes. In reply, William stared blankly at his crying younger brother.

He felt like he already lost his younger brother to the villains of the Revolutionary Army.

In a quick motion, William broke free from his brother's grip. As Francois stumbles back, William then pulls out a menacing looking blade from its scabbard. "I see. So you're already smitten by the villains of the Revolution. The Empire was right. You are a spy. You betrayed us all, Francois!" William shouted with great despair in his voice. "That blade, don't tell me that's…" Francois murmured as he hurriedly brings out his short blade.

"_**The Light in the Darkness: Lucifer. It is a tengu that was crafted from the claws of the legendary angel-like Ultra-class danger beast. The empire rewarded me with this for our years of servitude. I did not know that I will use it against my brother."**_

Without hesitating, Francois charged in with his short blade in hand. His fury coursed throughout his entire body. With one slash, William suddenly disappeared in the darkness. "Willaim! Come back here! Face me!" Francois shouted in mad rage as he keeps on slashing his blade in the darkness. Suddenly, a sudden burst of light blinded the raged-filled man. With one flicker of light, Francois' short blade falls on the blood-covered flooring. Francois tried to quickly pick it up, but to his utter surprise, he couldn't feel his hands.

In that instant, William effortlessly chopped off his arms.

Francois screams in pain as his blood gushed out of the open stumps that replaced his arm. Though fatally wounded, Francois quickly picked up his blade with his own mouth and charged into William once again. Again, within a flicker of light, William cuts down Francois with no effort at all. Francois slowly collapses as his older brother slashes his chest. The slash left a huge gaping wound that looks like an x-marking.

_**Repent for your sins, brother. I hope you will regret your actions. I'm sorry, but this is what must be done.**_

William inserts back Lucifer into its scabbard and leaves his dying brother to his own demise. As his very life slowly burns out, Francois noticed a glowing box in the corner of the room. It feels like the red glow is calling out for him. Though he is seconds away from his death, the only thing that Francois could feel is rage. His own family was cut down by his own kin. The Empire betrayed him and poised the thoughts of his older brother. All that Francois could think at the moment is revenge; his burning thirst for revenge for his deceased wife and daughter. If he had been stronger, he could have protected them. If he had been stronger, his brother wouldn't hurt them.

_**Do you wish for power?**_

As his vision slowly disappeared, a chilling voice started to talk to Francois. Is he hallucinating? Even Francois couldn't say if this voice is real. If his hearing is still intact, he could clearly say that the voice is coming from the glowing box. "Yes. Please. I wish for power." Francois tearfully replied as he clings on to his consciousness.

_**If I were to bestow you with my blessing, what will you do with this, power?**_

"_**I'll kill them! All of those corrupt bastards who killed Riza and Eliza! I'll fucking kill them all!"**_

A sudden demonic laughter echoed inside the room. Francois was barely consciousness as he is slowly bleeding out. He can feel his heart slowing down. Is this the end of him? Will he die without even giving his family the justice that they deserve?

_**Very well. Your rage will be my fuel. I am the Rage of the Heavens: Gekidou no Ryujin. **_

_**You, who bear great anger in your heart, will be my host.**_

_**I will give you unlimited strength and power, but in return, I will consume your life essence at the end of your journey.**_

_**If you accept my offer, then heed this warning. **_

_**There will be no good ending for you.**_

"_**I accept. Be my arms of vengeance, Gekidou no Ryujin."**_


	2. Kill the Madman

_**Wake up, love. You'll be late for work.**_

_**Wakey-wakey, Papa! Can Papa play with Eliza today?**_

Riza? Eliza? Where are you? I can't see you! Come out! I could hardly see anything here in the darkness!

_**Come on. Your brother will scold you. You know how strict he is when it comes being on time, right?**_

_**Is Uncle William that scary, Mama?**_

William? Right. I have to get up. He'll sco-

No, wait.

_**Repent for your sins, brother. I hope you will regret your past actions. I'm sorry, but this is what must be done.**_

William! He killed them! He killed my wife and daughter! He killed them in cold blood! How could I forget that?! Brother or not, I will avenge my family! I could never forgive him! I could never forgive the Empire from taking away my family!

I will destroy the entire empire if I have to!

_**Good. Good. You're awake, Francois. Come on. We have a lot of things to do.**_

With that voice echoing inside his mind, Francois quickly opened his eyes. He found himself lying on top of the blood-covered concrete flooring in the basement of the Augustus Manor. Faintly, he could see the two bodies of his loved ones in the darkness; which was his wife, and his daughter, who was struck down by his own kin. "How long has it been since I passed out?" He asked himself as he sluggishly pushed himself up. His eyes widen as he felt the sticky texture of the dried up blood beneath him. He remembered it vividly as William slashed his arms off. He remembered the pain surging through his body. "If my arms were chopped off, then how could I feel this texture in my palm? Why do I feel that I still have my arms attached?!" He asked himself as he quickly sat down and examined his wounds.

To his utter surprise, the two stumps on his arms were no more. They were replaced by two crimson gauntlets that were firmly attached to his former stumps. At the end of the two gauntlets was a green orb, which looked like a lizard's eye. Francois quickly noticed that his legs were also wrapped with same crimson material, which looked like greaves. "What the hell is this?!" Francois frantically asked himself. He could freely move the fingers of his gauntlets. It's like he didn't lost his arms at all. He felt the two orbs in his gauntlets staring at him. Confusion is slowly taking over his fragile mind. The young captain, who was supposed to be dead due to his wounds, is alive at the moment.

_**Welcome back to the land of the living, user. **_

A sudden voice in his head startled the dazed man. "Did that, came from my head?" Francois asked himself as he slowly clutched onto his temple. He felt like he went insane after his bout with his brother, like all of this is an illusion.

_**No. It's not an illusion. I brought you back, user. **_

"Brought me back? Who are you?! Come out! Face me!" Francois frantically shouted as he quickly stood up. Oddly, his vision slowly became better in the dark. In a matter of seconds, he could see clearly in the dark. Suddenly, he felt an itch on his cheeks. As he examined this sudden itch, he was left dumbfounded as he felt a rough and scaly texture on his face. "What the hell? What is happening to me?" The confused captain asked himself once more as he frantically looked around for a mirror. He quickly found a nearby glass shard on the floor and hurriedly picked it up. The confused man was left shaken as the sudden emergence of scales appeared on his face. He slowly fell on to his knees. He dropped the glass shard and grabbed onto his head. "A monster.. I've become a monster.." Francois muttered to himself as his whole body quivered in fear and confusion.

_**A monster? Dearest user, please don't use those kind of words. I am simply integrating my genes onto your system. Is this how you thank your saviour?**_

"What are you talking about? Who are you?!"

_**Are you that forgetful? You remembered that it was your own kin who struck you down, but you can't remember what happened after that?**_

"No…I.. Wait. A contract.. I made a contract with a voice inside my head.. No. I am going insane! This is a mere illusion that I resorted to!"

_**No. Again, I will repeat myself. This is not an illusion. This is reality. Let me introduce myself, dearest user. I am your personal Teigu. I was named as **__**Gekidou no Ryujin.**_

Francois was left speechless. He couldn't believe that he was talking to an actual Teigu right now. He knew that there were different types of Teigus, but he couldn't fathom that an Imperial Arm saved his life and is talking to him in his own mind.

"How is this possible? An Imperial Arm fusing with the body of its user?! This is unheard of!"

_**Well, you said it yourself, dearest user. Every Teigu differs from one another. For an example, your brother's Imperial Arm, Lucifer, can easily cut through anything, but in return, it will cloud its user's thoughts with a strict sense of justice. Since my creators rushed my creation, they failed to remove my evil essence, thus driving my first wielder insane. **_

"Insane? So you're saying I'm the process of going insane?!"

_**No. My first wielder was weak. His willpower was easily broken as I clouded his thoughts with my vile intent. In your case, your willpower is unheard of. The moment that I saw you desperately fighting your own kin without an Imperial Arms, I choose you as my next wielder. As I saw your mad rage, I felt that I am a fitting weapon for your revenge.**_

"This is… madness."

_**Call it what you want, dearest user, but I gave you an opportunity to fulfill a dying wish. Now, I must rest. The integrating process took a lot of me. For now, do what you want, but do not forget the contract. **_

With those words, the demonic voice inside Francois head disappeared. Sluggishly, the dazed man stood up. He slowly walked towards the bodies of his loved ones. He could feel his tears flowing down from his eyes as he gently caressed the face of his deceased wife.

Cold. All he could feel was her cold skin. He promised to give them a place where they could live happily, yet he failed. He promised to give them a bright future, yet he failed. All he could bring them was torment and death. His tears freely flowed down as he carried the two bodies on his shoulders. He noticed a new found strength from his gauntlets as he felt that the bodies were light as feather. Is this because of the genes that were not extracted properly from the Imperial Arms? Francois felt that this isn't the time for him to answer those petty questions. For him, it was time for grief and sorrow. It was a time for lament and goodbyes.

Before night fall, he managed to bury the people that were killed during that night. He couldn't believe that his own kin killed those innocent people because of one order from the Empire. Francois felt that his own older brother was turned twisted because of his Imperial Arms, yet he couldn't find it in his heart a single trace of pity for him. All that he could feel were his regret for failing to protect those people, and his burning rage for vengeance.

Before leaving the area, he scavenged some important things for his quest of vengeance. Francois took his wife's first gift to him, which was a red muffler, a green woven bracelet made by his daughter, Eliza, and a small locket that had a portrait of his two loved ones. He dons a brown cloak as he walks away from his former home. He was pretty sure that he is now labelled as a traitor by the Empire. Soon, the guards will come and investigate the premises. In his current condition, he was sure that he'll be killed if he fights the entire Empire by himself. He has to find his allies. He was sure that his friend, Bulat, and former commander Najenda would help him. With his burning rage in his heart, Francois starts his quest for vengeance and justice. He looks back at the graves of his loved ones before marching onwards to the darkness.

**Guide me, Riza, Eliza. I will bring you two justice. **

**I will bring the Empire down.**

Under the cloak of night, Francois escaped the Empire. With his connections, he managed to secure a safe route out of the city. He was given food, a horse, and clothing by the farmers who he helped before. As he rode his horse out of the city, he can't help but to notice the scars that was given to him by William. He was sure that the slash was deep enough to kill him. He was left astonished as his fatal wounds were quickly sealed up thanks to the genes of his Imperial Arms. "Does this mean I'm invulnerable?" He muttered himself as his horse continues to gallop on the stone path. He wants answers to his new found powers. He wants to know his own limits before facing the Empire head on.

By dawn, Francois finally reached one of the nearby towns that were under the control of the Revolutionary Army. Though he was hooded, he noticed the piercing glare of the soldiers. He started to feel weary as a small unit of patrolmen started to follow him from a distance. He noticed the heavy breathing of his horse as they gallop though the market place. Knowing that his companion had no minute of rest since their escape, he decides to let him rest for the day. He's hoping that the Revolutionary Army would apprehend him and bring him to their leaders.

As he alight his tired horse inside the stable, he was quickly surrounded by the guards. Alas, he was infamous in the Revolutionary Army thanks to his previous feats with his brother. Every possible exit out of the stable was blocked out by the soldiers. "Wait. Wait a minute. I know most of you recognize me as one of the Empire's Augustus Brothers, but I mean no harm! I am labelled as a traitor by the Empire! I am seeking aid from the Revolutionary Army in my quest!" Francois shouted as he raises his arms up. "Prove it, you Empire dog! You've killed countless men, and now you're saying that the Empire suddenly labelled you as a traitor in one night?! Who are you trying to fool?!" One of the soldiers shouted as they slowly cornered him.

Things were not looking good for Francois. He could feel the killing intent of the soldiers. From what he could sense from them, they're not looking to apprehend him. They want to kill him. If worse comes to worse, Francois has to fight back to protect himself. A small number of soldiers charged in. As all of them tried to lunge at Francois with their blades, the cornered man quickly blocked all of their attacks with his gauntlets and greaves. To Francois surprise, though his body was tired from his escape, his movement and speed were unmatched. His body was light as a feather. He swiftly blocked all of the succeeding attacks from the soldiers. One by one, he shattered their blades. The disarmed soldiers stumbled backwards as Francois cast aside their broken blades. He felt their killing intent slowly crumbling away.

"See? I do not wish to harm any of you! Please! Hear me out!" Francois shouted with great vindication in his voice. As he tried to convince his attackers, he suddenly felt light headed. Exhaustion has finally caught up to him. Francois fell to his knees. Seeing this opportunity, the soldiers surround him. Francois was too tired to fight. His strength was quickly sapped away by his exhaustion. He could even barely keep his eyes open. The last thing he felt before losing his consciousness was a pummel of a blade hitting his temple.

…

**Francois! Wake up! Francois!**

A familiar voice woke up the tired sleeping man. Francois slowly opened his eyes. He could feel his entire body aching in pain. To his surprise, a familiar face was the first thing he saw. Though the man has a different hairstyle from before, he quickly recognized this man who was shaking his shoulders. "Bulat.. is that you?" Francois weakly asked the man. The man was a tall, muscular young man with blue eyes and black hair, which was combed up into a heart-shaped pompadour. "Francois! You're finally awake! Seriously! You're out cold for 3 days!" The man with the long pompadour stated as he embraced Francois. "Not too tight, Bulat.. I'm still in pain right now." Francois weakly muttered to Bulat. If Francois memory serves him correct, the last time he saw this man was 3 years ago.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I couldn't stop myself since it's been a while since we last saw each other! What happened to you? Where's Riza and little Eliza?" Bulat asked Francois as he lets him go. "A lot of things happened. Four nights ago, under the order from the Empire, William attacked us." Francois replied as he sat up from his bed. As he looked around the room, Francois found himself inside a prison cell with his friend, who was sitting on a chair a few feet away from him.

"William? Your brother attacked you?! Why?! Is your wife and daughter safe?!" Bulat frantically asked as he clenched his fist in distraught. The image of his dead wife and daughter flashed once again in Francois' mind. "No.. When I arrived home from an errand, I was too late. Our servants were already corpses in the entrance hall. I was too late to save my family. William killed everyone. I was, labelled as a traitor by the Empire." Francois replied as he tries to hold back his tears.

"I… I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for your lost, friend…" Bulat replied as he was left speechless from Francois' explanation. "Words alone cannot fill the void inside of me, old friend. I will not dally with my words. Bulat, I want to bring down the Empire. I want to give Riza and Eliza justice." Francois stated as he brushed off his tears and looked at Bulat's eyes. His friend felt the burning determination and rage in Francois' gaze. "Are you sure? Knowing you, I know you can't raise your arm against your brother." Bulat asked Francois, who stood up and walked towards the iron bars. "I am certain, Bulat. I will kill him with my own hands. I will hold nothing back against him." Francois replied as he banged his right crimson gauntlet onto the iron bars.

**CLANG!**

To their surprise, the iron bars were instantly destroyed by Francois' Imperial Arms. The serious atmosphere in the cell room suddenly disappeared. "Control your strength, friend. I know you're angry and all, but don't destroy the headquarters." Bulat stated as he lets out a chuckle as an awkward silence filled the cell room. The other guards, who were busy with their own tasks, couldn't help themselves but to take a peek at the scene. "Uh. Sorry about that." Francois embarrassingly stated as he takes a step back from the destroyed bars.

"That power. What is with those gauntlets, Francois? We tried taking them off earlier, but it's like it's attached to your skin or something. Also, the moment we held onto to it, our hands were immediately scorched by a fierce heat coming from the gauntlets." Bulat asked Francois. "Gekidou no Ryujin. It's an Imperial Arms that was hidden inside our basement's vault. It's rather unique since it was a rushed Teigu. At times, I could feel a demonic and beastly essence inside of me. As of now, I'm not even sure how much this thing augmented my strength and agility." Francois replied as he looks back at his friend. "Oh! You're fortunate enough to get an Imperial Arms at that time, Francois!" Bulat stated as he inspects Francois' gauntlets closely. "Well, yeah. I would have died if I didn't stumble onto it." Francois replied as he noticed the two gems looking at him once again.

Their reunion was cut short when a silver haired woman opened Francois' cell door. "Najenda-san!" Bulat shouted as the woman enters the prison room. The woman was fairly tall. She had short silver hair and purple eyes. Not to mention, she has an eye patch on top of her right eye and a right mechanical arm. If Francois' memory serves him correct, this woman who is standing in front of them is the former commander of the Imperial Military. "At ease, Bulat. I'm here to greet our new found ally." Najenda replies as she smokes a black cigar. "It's an honor, Najenda-san." Francois stated as he bowed his head. "Seriously. Is everybody too formal here? It's like I'm in an aristocrat's party or something." Najenda annoying replied with a frown on her face.

As Francois and Bulat tried to hide their embarrassed faces, Najenda quickly snaps her black cigar in two, and eats it. "Uh. Isn't that dangerous?" Francois asked Najenda who finished swallowing her cigar. "Don't worry. It's chocolate. Anyway, I welcome you to the Revolutionary Army, Francois. The leaders know that you're a capable man, and that's why they're giving you a task this early." Najenda confidently stated as she crosses her arms. "Woah. Lucky you, Francois! You can easily climb up along the ranks!" Bulat exclaimed as he smiles at Francois, who was examining his crimson gauntlets. "I see. Could you brief with my task, Najenda-san?" Francois asked. "Hm. Straight to the point. I like men like you. Anyway, your task is simple. You're going to be the bodyguard of one of our assassins in her task. You can find her somewhere inside the headquarters." Najenda exclaimed as she leans back onto the steel door. "That's pretty simple. What does this girl look like?" Francois curiously asked as Bulat approaches Najenda.

"We're talking about Chelsea, right? She has pale skin, an auburn-colored hair and red eyes. She sort of stands out since she always wear this headphone accessory on her head. Also, she always has a lollipop in her mouth." Bulat stated with a smile. "I see. I'll look for her once I've eaten my meal." Francois replied as he stretches his arms and approached the two. "Good. Do your task diligently. Sorry to cut your reunion short, but I and Bulat have important things to attend to." Najenda stated as she opens the steel door. "Oh? They finally gave you the faction, eh?" Bulat commented as the three of them steps outside of the cell. "Faction? What are we talking about?" Francois curiously asked the two as he followed them closely.

"The leaders gave me my own faction. We are called the Night Raid. We're the Revolutionary Army's assassins and intelligence. Today, we'll start with our tasks and move to our own hideout." Najenda replied as they arrived at the entrance of the mess hall. Francois noticed the mess hall was filled with soldiers who were busy eating and chatting with one another. "That means we wouldn't see each other for a while again, Francois. We have to round up new recruits for our faction. It sucks that we can't have you as our first recruit." Bulat stated with a sulking expression on his face. "Well, probably in the future, we can recruit you. Just focus on your task first. Anyway, we have to go now, Francois. We can't keep the leaders waiting. I look forward to our future cooperation with one another, Francois." Najenda stated as she reaches out her mechanical arm to Francois for a handshake. "Same here, Najenda-san. Both of you keep safe, and stay alive, alright?" Francois stated as he firmly shake Najenda's mechanical arm.

With those words, the two left Francois to deal with their own task. After a brief meal, Francois starts his search for his companion. As he went around the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, he felt the piercing gaze of the soldiers. He knew that the soldiers still doubted him, and thinks that he might be a spy from the Empire. To avenge his family and strike down his own brother, Francois knew that he has to rise up to the ranks and gain the favor of the Revolutionary Army. He badly needs their help. He was well aware on how dangerous the new generals of the Imperial Army. General Esdeath alone could effortlessly kill him. He has to keep his burning rage inside of him till that moment.

As Francois arrives in the courtyard, he quickly noticed an auburn-haired girl sitting on one of the benches. Her appearance fitted with Bulat's description. "You must be Chelsea, right?" Francois asked the girl as he approaches her. The girl quickly turned around and faced Francois. To Francois surprise, the girl had an uncanny resemblance to his little Eliza. Her eyes were very similar to his daughter. "Who's asking?" The girl asked Francois as she examines him. "I'm one of the new recruits. I was tasked to be your bodyguard." Francois replied as he brushes off the sudden wave of emotions inside his head. "Oh. Augustus, Francois, right? The infamous tandem of Augustus, William of the Imperial Army? Well then. Our first task will be a blast." Chelsea stated as she stands up and approaches Francois. Francois quickly noticed the odd-looking box Chelsea was carrying in her hands. "Is that her weapon?" Francois asked himself.

"Odd. You're an assassin, right? When did assassins required to have bodyguards?" Francois curiously asked the auburn-haired girl, who was busy licking her lollipop. "This is my first task too, okay? Don't pressure me too much. Also, I don't really need any help. Our leaders only wanted to ensure I wouldn't fail this mission." Chelsea harshly replied as she looked at Francois with annoyance in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to offend." Francois quickly said as he bows his head towards Chelsea. "What? Hey! Stop that! Could you stop being too formal, sheesh! Not to mention, put some clothes on! What are you trying to do? Are you trying show off that scar on your chest?!" Chelsea annoyingly said as she takes a step back from Francois. "Sorry. I was raised like this, and I don't have any spare clothes. Anyway, should we get going now? It's already mid-day. Just brief me about our task along the way." Francois calmly stated. He was unfazed by Chelsea's sudden remarks. "Tsh. Alright. Time to hit the road then." Chelsea stated as the both of them started to walk towards the stables.

For their first task, Chelsea is required to kill an officer in a nearby Imperial village. The village is heavily fortified by the Empire due to its abundant amount of natural resources. The officer, who was named Gregor the Mad, is known for his superhuman strength. Even Francois was familiar with his name. If Chelsea fails to assassinate Gregor and they were spotted by the Imperial troops, it was up to Francois to finish the job.

"Quite a simple task, don't you think?" Chelsea asked Francois as she rides their horse, while Francois walks beside them on foot. "It depends. It wouldn't be so simple if you actually fail in assassinating Gregor." Francois replied as he carefully surveyed their surroundings. The village was quite near from the Revolutionary Army's headquarters. On foot, the two could reach the village by nightfall. "I won't, don't worry. Have faith in my Imperial Arms. Gregor wouldn't even see me coming." Chelsea proudly stated as she shows off her odd-looking box. "Don't be fooled. Gregor doesn't trust anybody. I remember back then that the old oaf almost killed William when he helped him in a battle. Ever since that day, we steered clear from him." Francois stated as he continues to look at their surroundings.

"Random question. Why did the Empire labelled you as a traitor?" Chelsea curiously asked Francois as she continues to lick her lollipop. "Well, to be honest, I was about to leave the Empire with my family when that night happened." Francois replied. "Hm? Why? Is it because of the taxes?" Chelsea sarcastically asked Francois once again. "No. Not at all. The Empire was far too corrupt. A city filled by swindlers and power-lusting people? I don't want that for my family. I only wanted to give them a place where they could live carefree from our surroundings, and I failed. They were killed by my own brother." Francois replied as he adjusts his brown cloak. A sudden silence emerged between the two as Chelsea was left dumbfounded on how casual for Francois to talk about his family's death. In reality, Francois is simply doing his best to keep his boiling rage inside of him. "I'm sorry for your lost, Franz. That's just the harsh reality that we live in." Chelsea stated as she leans her head back and stared at the afternoon sky. "Franz? Is that a nickname? Where did that came from?" Francois curiously asked her. "Don't tell me you're picky with your nicknames too. Come on. We're working together, right? We have to harmon-"

Before Chelsea could even finish her sentence, Francois quickly placed his right hand on top of her mouth. "Quiet. I saw Imperial soldiers at a distance. They'll hear your voice." Francois stated as he quickly pulled their stead towards a nearby bush. "What? I couldn't see anybody from a distance. Are you sure you saw someone?" Chelsea asked Francois as she alights from their horse. "I am certain. Somehow, my Imperial Arms also augmented my sight. I can see things farther than an average human could." Francois replied as he ties down their stead's lead onto a nearby root. "You sure have a weird Imperial Arms. Wait. Are those really scales on your face?" Chelsea asked him once again as she opens her Imperial Arms. To Francois surprise, her Imperial Arms was filled with lollipops. Francois left her question unanswered and quickly went up on a nearby tree. From the top, he could see the town from a distance.

"What's the plan? How will we infiltrate the town?" Francois asked Chelsea as he carefully went down from the tree. "It'll be easy. I'll simply use my Gaea Foundation and disguise myself as a messenger from the Empire. Hopefully, Gregor will bite the bait." Chelsea exclaimed as she prepares her needles. "Shape shifting, huh? That sounds pretty neat." Francois as he watched Chelsea's appearance suddenly changed into an Empire messenger. "It does. Watch me from afar, alright? If things go sour, I need you to be my back up. From here, I'll go on foot. I can't risk our horse to be cut down by those men. Till then, later, Franz." Chelsea stated as she waves goodbye to Francois and starts to walk towards the town.

From the top of the previous tree, Francois closely watched Chelsea enter the gates of the town. Fortunately, she managed to pass through the guards effortlessly. As he watched his companion infiltrate the town, a sudden unearthly blood lust filled his mind. He felt his hands were shaking as the two green orbs in his gauntlets stared at him intently. Suddenly, his entire mind was clouded with rage and bloodlust.

_**Did I startle you, user?**_

"Wh-What? You again? What is happening to me?! What are you doing to me?!"

_**It's nothing to be alarmed off. This is the price of wielding me. You have to satisfy my craving for rage and destruction. Kill some those soldiers and the symptoms will disappear. **_

"I can't simply do that! If I suddenly move in and attack the town, I'll put Chelsea in great danger!"

_**It's just one girl, my dear user. On a second thought, how about you look at the town again? **_

To Francois surprise, the soldiers inside the town were alerted. He could see a lone soldier trying to hide as the others conduct a search for someone. "Shit. Gregor found out?!" Francois frantically muttered to himself as he leaped downwards from the tree. His crimson greaves cushioned his fall. Without hesitation, Francois ran towards the town. Now it's up to him to finish the mission and save his companion.

_**Go buck wild, my dearest user. Test your new found powers. You'll find my augmentations, rather, helpful, to your cause.**_

In a matter of minutes, Francois reaches the gates of the town. The guards were quickly alerted of his presence and charged right in with their blades ready. "You! It's Francois! It's the traitor! Cut him down!" One of the soldiers shouted as they close in. Without any effort, Francois took them out with his swift kicks and punches. One by one, the soldiers fall dead on the ground. Their blood splattered onto the ground and onto Francois. Francois was left surprised as one his punches pierced through a soldier's body. "What is this? I was never that strong that I could do something like that.." Francois muttered to himself as he quickly looked around the village for his female companion.

_**Surprised, aren't you? That's one of my welcoming gifts to you. Sadly, you can only use those augmentations within a time limit. **_

"A time limit? How long? What will happen if I ignore it?"

_**Give or take, your human body could only endure my augmentations for 10 minutes. I highly doubt you could ignore it. **_

"10 minutes, huh? Right. I have to-"

As Francois was about to run around the town, a vile intent flared up inside his mind. He was left shaking as an unearthly rage replaces his will. Somehow, he's starting to lose his focus of his goal. The crimson liquid splattered on his body caught his attention. All of the sudden, he wants more blood. He wants to kill more people with his hands. "Is this what he was talking about? He's right. I wouldn't simply ignore it. Shit. I have to find Chelsea!" Francois muttered to himself as he dashes towards the plaza. There, he was met by a unit of guards. Once again, the guards met their untimely end in Francois' hands. Francois quickly noticed how brutal his recent attacks are as he sees the mangled corpses of the soldiers littered the plaza. "What is happening to me?" Francois muttered to himself.

Suddenly, a solider emerged from the shadows. Francois quickly noticed him and charged in. "Wait! Wait! Franz! It's me!" The soldier shouted as he tumbles down in fear. With those words, Francois quickly stopped in his steps. Fortunately, Francois was still capable recognizing his disguised companion. "Chelsea?! What happened? Where is Gregor?!" Francois asked his disguised companion as he helps her stand up. "I don't know! He managed to sniff me out! I didn't know that he was that perceptive! The moment I stepped inside his tent, he went in and tried to kill me! I would have died there if I didn't run away earlier!" Chelsea exclaimed as she removes her disguise. "Fuck. Get away as soon as possible. I'll deal with Gregor and the soldiers!" Francois frantically stated to Chelsea as he felt the madness inside of him getting stronger. "What?! I'm not leaving you here to die! Don't underestimate me! I cou-"

"Damn it, Chelsea! Listen to me! Once my bloodlust kicks in, I wouldn't be able to tell whether you're a friend or foe! If you want to stay here, just hide in the darkness! Once I'm finished with Gregor, knock me out or something!" Francois frantically shouted at his female companion as he quickly noticed an intimidating presence closing in their position. Without hesitation, he quickly pushed Chelsea into the shadows. In a split second, a large force landed on top of him. Luckily, he was fast enough to block his attacker, who was none other than Gregor the Mad. The concrete pavement underneath Francois cracked as the impact from Gregor's strike resonated towards him. "You..You Augustus punk!" Gregor furiously shouted as he tries to force his blade through Francois' crimson gauntlets. "Still crazy as a retard are we, eh you old oaf?!" Francois shouted back at his opponent. With one swift motion, Francois kicked the large and intimidating officer into a nearby building. A portion of the building's wall crumbled down as Gregor's body crashed into the structure.

In a matter of seconds, Gregor quickly recovers and dashes towards his assassin in a blind rage. Francois gave him an annoyed look as Gregor starts his flurry of slashes with his large blade. "Don't act too cocky, punk! You're too young to win against me!" Gregor furiously shouted as he continues his attacks. Francois manages to block all of the mad officer's attacks effortlessly. Gregor's eyes widen as he noticed the unique gleam from Francois' Imperial Arms. "That's…a teigu?!" Gregor frantically shouted as he realized how dangerous his situation he is in. In reply, Francois quickly closed in and grabbed him by his collar. From the shadows, Chelsea could feel a vile and demonic aura emitting from her companion. "What the hell is he..? It's like he's in a trance.." Chelsea muttered to herself as she tries her best to hide in the darkness.

With one strike, Francois' right fist pierced through Gregor's body. The trembling officer's blood spewed out from his mouth. "Blood.." Francois muttered as the officer's blood splattered onto his face. "You fucking monster! I'll take you down with me! My armor is filled to the brim with gunpowder! See you in hell, you punk!" Gregor furiously shouted as he lights a match with his trembling hand. In an instant, Francois quickly ripped Gregor's body in half. The old officer let out his final breath as the wind from Francois' motion blew out the fire in the match. The two halves of the officer's body fell flat onto the concrete pavement. For a moment, there was silence. The soldiers from afar went silent as they watched the entranced assassin obliterated their officer. Their hearts were filled with fear as they trembled in Francois' presence. To their surprise, the assassin started laughing hysterically. It was like a demon replaced the former Imperial Army Commander, who was well known for his kind heart.

_**Ah. Blood. That would do for now, my dearest user. **_

"Stop this now! Your vile intent! It's driving me insane!

_**I will. Don't worry. I do not want to break you this easily. After all, I don't want to spoil this fun of ours.**_

Without hesitation, the soldiers quickly ran away. Francois quickly heard their steps and a devilishly smile appeared on his face, which was almost covered with the dragon-like scales from his Imperial Arms. Before he could even run towards the deserters, Chelsea quickly moved out from the shadows and stabs one of his vital spots with her needle. To Chelsea's surprise, Francois was still standing even after her surprise attack. "What..? You're supposed to be out cold! Why are you-"

A sudden steam burst caught Chelsea off guard. As she covered her eyes from the hot steam that came from Francois' Imperial arms, she suddenly heard a large metal falling onto the concrete pavement. As the steam fades, Francois was no longer standing. "Franz!" Chelsea shouted as she quickly rushed to her downed companion. As she quickly examines him, she quickly noticed that he was still breathing, but he was already unconscious. Also, the scales on his face disappeared. To her surprise, his Imperial Arms came off. It was her first time to see the two stumps of Francois. "What power… With that kind of strength, he could easily take an army by himself.." Chelsea muttered to herself as she carefully ensures that Francois was knocked for good.

The following day, the downed assassin regained his consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes. The bright blue sky blinded him for a second. He could hear the voices of some people from the distance. Francois grunted and groaned for a bit as he slowly sat up. "Oh. You're finally awake." The auburn-haired girl said as she watched Francois from a distance. "Chelsea? What the hell happened? My arms…" Francois sluggishly muttered as he noticed his detached Imperial Arms. "Beats me. You suddenly went wild and killed the old oaf without any problems. Luckily, the Revolutionary Army quickly responded to my message, and sent its troops to occupy the village." Chelsea stated as she licks her lollipop.

"Oh. You knocked me out, right?" Francois asked his companion as Chelsea approached him. "Yep. It was your orders. Anyway, I didn't know that you had stumps for arms." Chelsea stated as she helps her companion stand. "I lost my arms the same time I lost my family. It was my incapability to protect them, and this is my punishment." Francois replied as Chelsea tries to pick up his crimson gauntlets. To Chelsea's surprise, the gauntlets weighed a ton. "What the hell? Your gauntlets are too heavy! It's insanely heavy!" Chelsea commented as the troops of the Revolutionary Army arrive at the plaza.

"Augustus, sir! I have a message from the leaders!" One of the soldiers stated as he ran towards the two. "What is it?" Francois stoically asked as he approached his gauntlets. He then kneels down in front of the gauntlets. Suddenly, the gauntlets attached itself onto Francois' stumps. The soldier and Chelsea stood in awe as Francois dusts off some dirt from his crimson imperial arms. "Huh? Are those magnetized or something? Also, isn't your greaves a part of Imperial Arms?" Chelsea asked as she closely examined her companion's equipment. "I'm not sure. Let's not focus with that. Messenger, what's the message?" Francois asked the soldier as he adjusts his brown cloak. "They commend the two of you for a job well done! Please go back to the headquarters for rest and further orders!" The soldier replied as he salutes to the two assassins. "At ease. Chelsea. Let's head back. I'm quite famished and tired. I need a goodnight rest." Francois stated as he looked back at his auburn-haired companion. "Alright, alright. Lead the way, Franz." Chelsea replied as she closely followed Francois towards the town's exit.

"Oh, wait. Before we go, here." Francois stated as he reaches out to Chelsea. "Uh, what's that?" Chelsea asked her companion with a curious look on her face. "It's a handshake, dummy. Congratulations in your first mission." Francois replied as he gives Chelsea a warm smile. "Pft. Again, with the formalities. Anyway, congratulations in succeeding your first mission too, Franz." Chelsea stated as she shakes Francois' hand.

Within a month, the two assassins were tasked with two missions. Both of those missions were easily completed by the two. Chelsea would do all of the infiltration with her Gaea Foundation, while Francois manhandled the soldiers with his Gekidou no Ryujin. In no time, the two developed a bond with each other. Chelsea treats her companion as a brother-like figure, while Francois sees her as little sister of his. Within that time span, two grew fond of each other. Chelsea would try her best to make Francois smile whenever he's sulking or brooding. Francois would always scold Chelsea whenever she plays around during a mission. Not to mention, the young man would always protect his female companion from any harm. Soon, the two grew comfortable working with each other. Sadly, their time working together was cut short.

Slowly, the two caught the attention of the Revolutionary Army's leaders. Seeing that Chelsea's infiltration skills are still rough, the leaders tasked Oreburg, Babara to mentor her. The elderly lady hailed from the Oreburg clan, and she was extremely famous as an assassin. In the other hand, Francois was recruited by his friend Bulat to join Najenda's branch of assassins. At the night of their departure, the two exchanged their goodbyes to each other.

"So, you're going to the Night raid now, huh?" Chelsea asked Francois as they sat down on a concrete bench at the courtyard. "Yeah. I accepted Bulat's offer. It's my best chance to get back against the Empire." Francois stated as he stared at the star-filled night sky. "Geez. They really had to cut our time together short, huh?" Chelsea annoyingly remarked as she stared at the courtyard's fountain. "You can't blame them. We're just assassins. We can never stay put in a place." Francois replied as he nuzzles Chelsea's auburn-hair with his left hand. "I'm really going to miss your snarky remarks." Chelsea stated as she gazed at Francois with a sad look in her eyes. "Don't worry. This won't be the last time we'll see each other. Well, if you fail one of your missions, I don't see that happening." Francois sarcastically stated as he let out a chuckle. "W-What?! How dare you! I'm not that unskilled! I'll show you!" Chelsea annoyingly stated as she gently pushes Francois' hand away.

After a few seconds, the two started laughing with one another. As the two were caught up with their laughing fits, a dark-grey haired girl arrives at the courtyard. "Chelsea! It's time for us to go!" The girl stated as she approaches the two. "Ugh. Already, Taeko?" Chelsea asked her fellow student as she stands up. The dark-haired girl was fairly tall. Though she's younger than Chelsea, her body is much mature than Francois' companion. She is also a student under Babara. "Yep. You don't want to keep the old lady waiting." Taeko replied as she gives Chelsea an annoyed look. Chelsea lets out a sigh and looks back to Francois. "You stay alive, you hear?" Chelsea stated as she gives Francois a warm smile. "I will. I will not die until I avenge my family. Taeko, take care of her. You have my permission to scold her whenever she's unruly." Francois stated as he smiled back at Chelsea. "You got it. Alright. We're done with goodbyes, are we? Let's go." Taeko stated as two girls left the courtyard.

After letting out a long sigh, Francois stood up and went back to his room. "Time to pack my things then." He muttered to himself as he picks up the silver locket on top of his wardrobe. "I'm one step closer to avenging you, Riza, Eliza." Francois muttered as he silently stared at the picture of his deceased loved ones.


	3. Kill the Memories

Time passed by quickly.

Day by day, the burning vengeance in the sole survivor of the Augustus mansion massacre grew. The once proud, and noble man, slowly turned into a hardened assassin who doesn't hesitate killing his targets. His relentless fury is unmatched. No soldier from the Empire could compete with his sheer strength. Matched with his regenerating abilities, Francois became a killing machine. Soon, his name became infamous in the empire. Even General Esdeath acknowledged his skills and power. To counter him, the empire enlisted a certain man as Esdeath's bodyguard.

* * *

Francois sat idly on a wooden chair as he stared blankly at the small dining hall of the headquarters. It's been roughly seven months since he was enlisted into Najenda's assassination team. As their small team successfully completed their contracts, the Night Raid became one of the elite companies in the Revolutionary army. Somehow, fame, and recognition didn't felt anything for Francois. He feels empty. Those people he killed will never bring back his deceased wife and daughter. Nothing could ever fill the gaping hole inside of him, nothing, except the death of his brother in his hands.

_You're brooding again, Francois?_

A familiar female voice got Francois' attention. A tall, blonde woman approached him with a smile on her face. It was none other than Leone, who was a fresh recruit 5 months ago. Based on her records, she was raised in the slums of the Capital. Poverty and oppression made her into a hardened woman. She is cheerful and caring to her comrades. She is mischievous at times, but she could be serious during crucial moments. Equipped with her imperial arms, Lionelle, she is a beast in the battlefield.

"Not really. I'm just waiting for orders." Francois replied as he gave her faint smile. "Seriously, you're so tense. Ah. You're not wearing your gauntlets?" Leone remarked as she sat down beside him. Whenever Francois is wearing his crimson imperial arms, he could feel his sanity slowly crumbling. It's like it's slowly taking over his mind. To lessen its effects and maintain his sanity, he takes it off during his free time. Whenever he takes it off, he lets one of his comrades bandage his stumps. "As you can see, yes. Bulat bandaged me earlier. He has a contract right now, right?" Francois asked as he continued to stare blankly around the room. "Yeah. He's with Sheele, Mine, and Lubbock right now." Leone replied as she stretches her arms.

Sheele, Mine and Lubbock.

Lubbock, who hailed from a known family from the empire, joined as soon he heard Najenda was leading the Night Raid. The green-haired young man is rather upbeat and quite optimistic compared to Francois. His loyalty to Najenda is unmatched. Though at times, he's quite arrogant with his skills. He is equipped with Cross-Tail, which is a wire-based imperial arms. Mine is also one of their new recruits. The pink-haired twin-tailed girl is quite feisty and loud mouthed. Based on the records, she came from a foreign land. She took refuge in the Capital, but tasted inhumane discrimination from the people. Equipped with her imperial arms, Pumpkin, her sharp eyes and calm judgement, she could take on anyone down. Sheele, at the other hand, is quite an airhead. The slender, purple-haired woman, was recruited by Francois when he stumbled on her after she killed a group of men. He quickly noticed the cold, and impassive nature of Sheele whenever she kills someone. For Sheele, the rugged man became her mentor. She was given the imperial arms, Extase, which is an impenetrable, massive scissors.

"I see. I wonder how Chelsea is doing…" Francois mumbled as hides his mouth underneath his prized red scarf. "Chelsea? The girl you told me before? I heard she's doing fine. She lost her teammate and mentor though." Leone replied as she patted her firm stomach. "She hasn't replied from my mails. I'm starting to worry." Francois said as his stubble caught Leone's eyes. "Sheesh. She's not that weak, you know. Besides, she's quite skilled and pretty stealthy. Unlike you, who's pretty brash and charges in the fight." She commented as she poked Francois' stubble. "Look who's talking. We have the same style, sheesh. Besides, I'm not fully controlling my body whenever we're in a battle." He replied as he lets Leone curiously poke his facial hair.

As Leone was busy poking and touching Francois' facial hair, a black haired girl entered the room. Her long black haired gently swayed as she walked towards the two with a plate of freshly cooked meat in her hands. "Ah. Akame! You brought some for us, too?" Leone gleefully asked as she quickly stood up and ran towards Akame. "Yes. It's almost dinner time. Ah. Francois-san. You don't have your gauntlets on…" Akame said as she smiled at her comrades. The black-haired girl was one of their first recruits. Akame was a well-known assassin that came from an Empire child training program. The researchers developed her into a killing machine. Her blade skills are unmatched. Even Leone and Francois couldn't keep up with her speed. As Leone and Akame happily talked to each other, Francois couldn't help to remember how they recruited Akame.

At that time, he was reunited with his family's killer.

* * *

The sound of blades clashing and people dying echoed inside the forest.

It was none other but a clash between the Revolutionary Army and the Imperial. Najenda, who was assigned as the leader of the squad, was busy commanding her troops while her two bodyguards, Francois and Bulat, kept their attackers at bay. Their squad was heavily outnumbered. Bulat, who recently received his own imperial arms, Incrusio, was having a hard time using his armour to its fullest, while Francois was trying his best not to allow his imperial arm's vile madness to take over. Najenda's main goal was to contact Akame, who was defecting to Revolutionary Army.

The battle raged on, but Akame was nowhere in sight. "Did she set us up?!" Bulat shouted as takes down a couple of men with his spear. "Tsh. Keep your head in the battle, Bulat! Have faith in her!" Najenda shouted back as her squad is slowly pushed into a corner. "Shit! If this keeps up, we're goners! We're losing men!" Bulat angrily shouted back. As the two shouted at one another, the black-haired girl finally showed herself. Akame quickly takes down a huge number of imperial soldiers. "Akame! What took you?!" Najenda said as she welcomes her into the clash. "My former team tried to kill me. I had to cut them down." Akame replied as her white clothing was slowly lathered with blood. In a matter of seconds, the Revolutionary Army turned the battle around. The arrival of the newly Night Raid recruit bolstered the morale of the troops. As the battle was slowly turning into their favour, the arrival of two certain people destroyed their chances of winning.

_Esdeath! It's Esdeath! She's here!_

The four main assassins felt a sudden feeling of fear as they heard the screams of their troops. One by one, the Najenda's squad was swiftly cut down by a blonde haired man. His movements were too fast. Even Akame couldn't keep up. As the small squad placed their backs on each other, the blue-haired general leisurely walked towards them. As usual, General Esdeath had an aura that could suffocate anyone. She set her eyes on Najenda, who tried to contest her. "Make way! I'll-" Before Najenda could even charge in towards her, she was swiftly cut down by the cold general. Francois' eyes were left wide open as he saw Najenda's right arm chopped off. "N-Najenda!" Bulat shouted as he was clearly shaken. With one swift attack, Najenda lost her right arm, and her right eye. As Bulat caught her unconscious body, Francois was suddenly filled by a demonic feeling when a familiar face appeared in front of him.

It was none other than his brother, Augustus, William. "It's been a while, Francois. I see you managed to fix your arms." William said as he slowly walked towards them. "This is bad! I didn't know they would appear here!" Akame angrily shouted as Bulat tended to their unconscious leader. "May I kill my younger brother, my lady?" William asked Esdeath as he readied his stance. "Go ahead. Give me a good show." Esdeath replied with a smile as she sat down on top of a corpse. "Akame! Bulat! Take the Najenda and the troops, and fall back! I'll buy you guys some time!" Francois said as the familiar crimson scales appeared in his face. "Don't die! As soon you get the chance, fall back!" Bulat shouted as he gathers the remaining troops and retreated from the battle.

Soon, it was Francois versus a handful of imperial soldiers, and the two monsters of the Imperial. As William took his time approaching Francois, his younger brother quickly attacked the soldiers. "You've turned into a beast, I see. Your way of killing is savage." William commented as one by one, the soldiers met their death in the hands of the raged-filled man. I'll end you!" Francois furiously shouted as he throws a corpse towards his brother. As William neatly dodges the body, Francois charged in. For a moment, he thought he caught William off guard. As he tried to land a devastating straight, a grin appeared in William's face. The sound of two hard metals clashing echoed throughout the forest. Francois was left stunned as William's cleanly blocked his attack with his imperial arms, Lucifer.

"H-How…?!" Francois mumbled as he quickly jumped back. "My blade could not only cut anything, it also fully negates any strike it could block. Your monstrous sheer strength is nothing against me." William stated as he readied his stance. Within a blink on an eye, Francois charged in. His relentless punches and kicks were all neatly blocked by William. "Hideous. You're starting to look like a reptile." William commented as he landed a couple of swift slashes on his brother. As Francois was left stunned from William's flurry of stabs, William managed to stab him in the abdomen. Thinking quickly, Francois quickly spat blood into his brother's eyes. As William blindly tried to take out his blade from Francois' abdomen, Francois quickly gave him a devastating kick that made him crash into a nearby tree. Francois could only growl menacingly as William managed to block his attack with his scabbard. "I see. Your teigu is the famous cursed gauntlets." William remarked as he brushes off some dust on his white clothing.

"That's enough, William. That took too much time." Esdeath annoyingly said as she stood up and walked towards her bodyguard. The moment Esdeath moved, Francois consciousness came back. "Ah. I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't expect that he had that certain teigu." William apologized as he bowed at Esdeath. "Well, it was a good preview. You there, Francois. Why are you wasting those powers of yours for the Revolutionary Army? If you si-" "I don't give a shit about power, nor fame! I only want to bring my wife and my daughter justice! Just give that man, and I'll die happily!" Francois furiously shouted at Esdeath. "What a waste then... Let's go, Williams. We have a town to conquer." Esdeath said with a grin on her face. "As you wish, my lady. Francois. The next time we'll see each other, I'll assure you. I'll sever the head of yours and feed your body to the dogs, you disgrace." William coldly stated as the monsters of the empire left the forest.

* * *

"I need to become stronger…."

**_I can give you the power, oh dearest wielder. Just let me…._**

"Silence. You can't fool me with your words. I will never hand my body to you."

**_Heh. That's what you think. In no time, you'll need my full power. I don't really care if you don't use my full potential though. Just let me savour the taste of your burning hatred and vengeance till the very end._**

* * *

_It's what they call assassins of justice, isn't it?_

A loud voice awaked the sleeping Francois. He could hear some laughter coming from the meeting room. "I overslept, huh…" He mumbled to himself as he slowly pushed his body upwards. If he could remember correctly, two nights ago, he came back from a solo contract. His target didn't give him an easy time. He faced a huge number of skilled soldiers and assassins, which made him, push to his limits. Though he managed to kill everyone with his blazing crimson gauntlets and greaves, fatigue took its toll in his body. He was recovered by his comrade, Bulat, from the battlefield. To fully let him recover, his comrades left him to rest as they went out for a full-scale contract.

Francois slowly stood up. He quickly noticed the bandages around his stumps. "Must have been Leone or Sheele…" He mumbled to himself as he slowly went out of his room. "Oh! You're finally awake!" Bulat said as they welcomed him. A brown-haired boy quickly caught Francois' attention. "Who's he?" Francois asked as he joins his comrades. "He's Tatsumi. He's a possible recruit that we took in last night. From the looks of things, he has potential." Najenda said as she smokes her chocolate cigarette. "Not as good as me, though." Lubbock murmured. "Sheesh. Give the guy a chance! He managed to block some of Akame's strikes after all." Leone commented as she pinches Lubbock's cheek. "He's just pretty lucky if you ask me. If Akame went all out from the get go, he's probably a corpse back in the mansion." Mine remarked as she gave Tatsumi a stern look.

"I heard you say, assassins of justice, young man." Francois said as he curiously looked at Tatsumi. "Isn't that what you guys do? We protect the weak from the corrupted Imperial?" Tatsumi said with a confused look on his face. "I see. So that's the reason…" Francois remarked as he lets out a sigh. Suddenly, the room's atmosphere changed. The laughter and fickle comments were gone. It suddenly became tense and serious. "Since you're one of the senior members, I think it's your responsibility to give him his first lecture, Francois." Leone said as she patted Francois' back. Francois simply nods at her and looked at Tatsumi sternly. "Alright. Listen, Tatsumi. No matter how you say it, what we're doing, is plain murder. Everyone in this room is a murderer. We've killed people before, and we wouldn't hesitate doing those things over, and over again. There's no justice in murder, kiddo. Anytime, we could receive our retribution and die. We don't fool around, Tatsumi." Francois said he noticed the unfazed determination coming from the brown-haired boy.

"We all have our own reasons, and we're all prepared that we could die at any moment. Will your opinion still the same?" Najenda asked Tatsumi with a serious tone in her voice. "Will I get rewarded?" Tatsumi quickly asked. "Yeah. If you work properly and you finish your contracts effectively, you'll be able to save your hometown." Najenda replied. "Then I'll do it! Let me join the Night Raid! If it's for a big goal like that, Sayo and Ieyasu would have done the same!" Tatsumi eagerly shouted as all members of the Night Raid noticed his determination. "His friends, I take?" Francois quietly asked Bulat. "Yeah. They came from the same village. He found them dead in the mansion last night." Bulat quietly replied. "Are you sure about this? You might be unable to freely return to your village though." Mine asked Tatsumi. "That's fine! As long I can make everyone in the village, it's all fine." Tatsumi quickly replied. "Heh. What a naïve kid…" Francois mumbled to himself as he lets out a sigh.

_It's decided. _

_Welcome to the path of carnage, Tatsumi!_

* * *

After a long night, Akame, Leone, and Tatsumi were welcomed back by their comrades. The three successfully killed their contracts, which were Gamal the Merchant, and Ogre of the Capital Guards. As Tatsumi entered the dining hall, he quickly noticed the armless man staring at the night sky. "Ah. Tatsumi. I heard your first contract was a success." Francois said as he places his attention on the brown haired boy. "Yeah, it was. It wasn't easy though." Tatsumi replied as he sat down near his senior. "I know. I remember having some difficulties dealing with him too when I was back in the Imperial. That guy was a knucklehead and he had his own set of rules." Francois commented. "You were a part of the Imperial, Francois-san?" Tatsumi curiously asked. "They didn't tell you? Geez. Those guys…;" Francois said as he lets out a heavy sigh. "Anyway, yeah. I was. Roughly half a year ago. I was one of the generals back then. Me, Esdeath, and my brother. I, had an easy life back then. Me, my wife and daughter…" He said as he blankly stared at the bricked wall.

"Uh. Francois-san? Why did you join the Night Raid, or should I say, why would you join the Revolutionary Army when you had an easy life?" Tatsumi curiously asked again. Francois was left dumbfounded as he heard Tatsumi's question. "Seriously? Are you that curious on my background?" Francois asked the brown-haired boy. "W-Well, you're my senior. I heard some stories from Leone-san and Bulat-san about your previous contracts. You could say I look up to you or some sorts…" Tatsumi replied as he laughed embarrassingly. For a moment, Francois could remember the times he looked up to his brother when he was young. Somehow, Tatsumi reminded him on how lively and optimist he was when he was in the same age as his. He can't help but to laugh as Tatsumi had a confused look on his face.

"Tsh. You're really an odd kid, Tatsumi…;" Francois commented as he manages to tone down his laughter. "I might as well tell you my tale, huh? My reason for deflecting into the Revolutionary Army is pretty simple." He said as he gave his comrade a faint smile. "Simple? Is it because of honor? Because of the corruption in the Capital?" Tatsumi curiously asked. "That was before. Ever heard of the Augustus Mansion Massacre?" Francois asked back. Tatsumi simply swayed his head sideways, implying he doesn't know a clue. "That happened 6 months ago. That night, I came home to a blood pool. Our helpers' bodies were scattered in the main hall. When I reached the basement, I saw my brother with the dead bodies of my wife and daughter. He was tasked by the Capital to kill me before I could even deflect to the Revolution Army. Though he fatally wounded me, I managed to survive with the help of my imperial arms, Gekidou no Ryujin." Francois said as he calmly looked at Tatsumi. As expected, Tatsumi was shocked by Francois' tale.

"I've become a simple man, Tatsumi. Kill or be killed. I'm no longer naïve as before. That's why; I don't need any more reasons to join the Revolutionary Army. I just want vengeance. I just want to be given the opportunity to kill that man with what I have." Francois stated as he stood up. "F-Francois-san…" Tatsumi muttered as he suddenly felt uneasy as his senior slowly walked towards him. "That's why; don't look up too much on me. We don't need another brooding guy here. I already have that role. Keep the optimistic and kind attitude of yours. You'll need it for the days to come." Francois calmly said as he smiled at Tatsumi. "Y-Yes! Will do!" Tatsumi quickly replied back. "Hmph. Alright, kiddo. Get some rest. If you need some training, go to Bulat. I'm already disabled as you can see. But, if you need some advice, you know where to find me." Francois as he bid his comrade goodnight. As he walked towards his room, he could feel that he could entrust the future of the Night Raid to that new recruit of theirs.

* * *

After a tiring journey from the western territory, Francois lets out a deep breath as he finally arrives back at their hideout. It's been a month since he was gone. As the Tatsumi and others were busy with their contracts, the Revolutionary Army tasked him to reinforce the soldiers in the western territory. Knowing that Francois once exceled as one of the tacticians back in his days in the Imperial, they had no choice but to bring him there. His timely arrival bolstered the troops' morale. With his help, they managed to fend off the Imperial Army's assault. He was greatly praised by the leaders of the revolution. In his reply, he simply said it was his group that deserves the praise. As usual, praise and recognition were hollow for the grizzled man.

As Francois entered their hideout, he started to wonder how his comrades are doing. As he passed by the main hall, he noticed how quiet the hideout was. He expected to see Leone or Bulat at this point. He arrived near the training area. As he placed his backpack aside, a familiar face greeted him. "Oh. Welcome back, Francois. Good work with the assist." Najenda said as she patted his back. The sight of Najenda with her backpack got Francois' attention. "You leaving?" He asked her. "Yeah. I'm going to the headquarters. We need new recruits." Najenda replied as she smokes her usual chocolate cigarette. "Recruits? We need more? Ugh. Me and Bulat are already mentoring Tatsumi and Sheele. But, anyway, I might as well come along. I heard Chelsea's there. I might as well convince her to join in." Francois said as he walked towards Najenda. As he was a few steps away from Najenda, he saw a familiar scene by the training grounds. Tatsumi, and Lubbock were training while Leone and Akame were encouraging them. Suddenly, he felt something is missing. "Where's Bulat and Sheele?" He asked Najenda.

"They're dead. That's why we need more recruits." Najenda replied as she exhales some smoke from her cigarette. After hearing Najenda's words, Francois was left stunned. He was speechless. "How did they die?" Francois asked as his eyes showed a pained expression. "Sheele died first. Mine and Sheele got tangled with one of Ogre's fanatics. She sacrificed her life to let Mine escape. Bulat was killed when he and Tatsumi went after Esdeath's personal guards. As expected, your brother wasn't there. Extase was retrieved by the Imperial while Tatsumi inherited Bulat's Incrusio." Najenda said as Francois stood beside her. He knew it was coming. Like he said to Tatsumi before, they could die anytime. That's why; they have to keep marching on. They can't let their deaths be in vain.

As the two living founders of the Night Raid stood beside each other, Francois took the time to reminisce his moments with his deceased comrades. Sheele, the young woman who he trained, was like a younger sister to him. Though she is quite an airhead, she honestly cared for her comrade's well-being. There are times that Sheele tried to comfort her mentor, but Francois took it the other way around. Though his wife is dead, he remained loyal to her. Luckily, Sheele managed to clear it up before things became awkward between them. Bulat, was one of his close friends. He was his brother-in-arms. They fought together. They shed blood together. They supported each other through hard and painful times. Francois can never forget the caring smile of Sheele and his brotherly bond with Bulat.

"You coming?" Najenda asked Francois, who took a deep breath. "Yeah." Francois replied as Leone noticed his presence. He simply nodded at her and turned around. "I'll be ready in a few minutes." Francois said as he adjusted his crimson gauntlets. "Alright. I'll wait for you outside." Najenda replied as she went ahead. Francois took his backpack and went to his room. He quickly took out its contents and replaced it with clean clothing. He adjusted his red scarf and kissed his necklace. "You'll have company soon, love." Francois muttered to himself as he went out of his room. As Francois and Najenda journeyed towards the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, Francois had one thing in mind.

**His time is nearing, and he could sense it.**

* * *

**Hello, to my readers! Here's the most delayed chapter ever (lol). I really had to read the lore and research about the timeline in Akame ga Kill. Sucks that that there's no concrete timeline out there that I could follow. Anyway, as I said before, this is pretty much a short fanfic. Probably two more chapters to go. In the mean time, I'll start with the next chapter for SD:LoS. By the way, what do you think about Francois' and William's character? Do you find Francois too linear/overpowered/stoic? Do you find William as a total ass/jerk? Lol. Please do leave a review or opinion. As usual, if you have any questions, please don't be afraid and message me. Have a great day!**


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